As people have become more security conscious, they have found it necessary to carry around numerous keys, security cards, and payment cards and to memorize numerous usernames and passphrases (and/or PINs) to allow them to open doors to their automobile and houses, make payments at retail locations, identify and authenticate themselves, pick up pre-ordered items such as concert tickets, and many other personal chores reliant on such keys and cards. New keys, cards, usernames, and passphrases are constantly being added into this collection as new locks, payment systems, and authentication systems are put into service. As a result, finding the right key, card, and/or usernames and passphrases to gain access to a secured area or secured system, make a payment, pick up items, or perform other routine tasks has become difficult.
Accordingly, a need exists for a simplified authentication and in-place personalized interactive system that makes it possible for a user to easily open locks and/or gain entry to secured systems, make payments, pick up pre-ordered items, and perform other tasks without having to carry separate keys and/or cards or memorize numerous usernames and passphrases.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.